ME19four: life, faith and role-playing games
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
10 things pastors long to hear...
Some excellent stuff from St Casserole.
Done for laughs, but as with all humour many a true word is said in jest.
Go read, and don't forget the comments.
On a more serious note: why don't I ever think in these terms? Answer: because I'm burning out and need that change.
Done for laughs, but as with all humour many a true word is said in jest.
Go read, and don't forget the comments.
On a more serious note: why don't I ever think in these terms? Answer: because I'm burning out and need that change.
Labels: Faith, Life, Recommendations
¶ 9:12 am 1 comments
Believing Thomas
Funny things, labels. They tend to stick. To the exclusion of anything else. Names and associations from the Bible still have weight, embedded in culture, even if the culture has apparently moved on. For example, have you ever met a Judas? I haven't.
And today the Church remembers another labelled individual. Thomas, rarely referred to without his prefix, "Doubting" Thomas. The one apostle who as far as we know dared to speak for the majority of us when he said unless he could see and touch the resurrected Christ that he would not believe. A worthy saint for scientists and sceptics.
Yet, as I was reminded this morning he does have another name and another side. Thomas the Apostle. Faithful Thomas. The apostle who, when confronted with Jesus wish to return to dangerous territory, a place that might even cost him his life, en route to raising his friend Lazarus from the dead, said, "Let us also go and die with him." That's not the language of a doubter. That's belief and trust.
And lest we forget: very little evidence of the ministry of the apostles has passed down the centuries to us. We don't really know much of their mission and journeys, just a few uncertain tales and legends. About Thomas comes the story of his journey to South India (far more probably some disciples of his school), and a martyrdom. But, unlike so many other apostles his name lives on in the ancient-rooted Mar Thoma church and other related groups.
"Doubting" Thomas? Somehow I doubt it!
And today the Church remembers another labelled individual. Thomas, rarely referred to without his prefix, "Doubting" Thomas. The one apostle who as far as we know dared to speak for the majority of us when he said unless he could see and touch the resurrected Christ that he would not believe. A worthy saint for scientists and sceptics.
Yet, as I was reminded this morning he does have another name and another side. Thomas the Apostle. Faithful Thomas. The apostle who, when confronted with Jesus wish to return to dangerous territory, a place that might even cost him his life, en route to raising his friend Lazarus from the dead, said, "Let us also go and die with him." That's not the language of a doubter. That's belief and trust.
And lest we forget: very little evidence of the ministry of the apostles has passed down the centuries to us. We don't really know much of their mission and journeys, just a few uncertain tales and legends. About Thomas comes the story of his journey to South India (far more probably some disciples of his school), and a martyrdom. But, unlike so many other apostles his name lives on in the ancient-rooted Mar Thoma church and other related groups.
"Doubting" Thomas? Somehow I doubt it!
Almighty and eternal God,¶ 8:23 am 1 comments
who for the firmer foundation of our faith,
allowed your holy apostle Thomas
to doubt the resurrection of your Son
till word and sight convinced him:
grant to us, who have not seen, that we may also believe
and so confess Christ as our Lord and our God;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Muddled Thinking?
It's probably the sign of a fizzing brain - which is a very good thing on a Monday morning as I might get some quality creativity done - that I picked up on the following point on the news.
The body representing Fertility Specialists across Europe is calling for a harmonisation of standards across countries to enable equality of access to services. Which is all well and good, I suppose (although I'll be a tad contentious and say that while I think all women might have a reasonable expectation of bearing children that that does not equate to a right to a child).
My prognostications aside though, the spokesman then went on to say that this call was being made due to rising phenomenon of "Fertility Tourism" - the phenomenon of traveling overseas to get access to better facilities and ranges of treatments.
Forgive my pedantry, but isn't a tourist one traveling for pleasure? From the little I know or have gleaned (including from medical professionals) about the travails of fertility treatment, it's not something a normal person would seek to do for enjoyment, surely?
More slack phraseology! :)
The body representing Fertility Specialists across Europe is calling for a harmonisation of standards across countries to enable equality of access to services. Which is all well and good, I suppose (although I'll be a tad contentious and say that while I think all women might have a reasonable expectation of bearing children that that does not equate to a right to a child).
My prognostications aside though, the spokesman then went on to say that this call was being made due to rising phenomenon of "Fertility Tourism" - the phenomenon of traveling overseas to get access to better facilities and ranges of treatments.
Forgive my pedantry, but isn't a tourist one traveling for pleasure? From the little I know or have gleaned (including from medical professionals) about the travails of fertility treatment, it's not something a normal person would seek to do for enjoyment, surely?
More slack phraseology! :)
Labels: Life, Ponderings
¶ 7:46 am 0 comments
